


American Suburbia

by Miki_and_company



Category: Homestuck
Genre: (Obviously), AU, Bisexual Dave, Bisexual Roxy, Bisexual/gay Rose, Boredom, Fanart, Gen, Nonconsensual kissing, Other, Strilondes, Suburban, Summer AU, Truth or Dare, Underage Drinking, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, atmosphere-centric, fic with image, gay Dirk, serious teenagerism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-05-31 01:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6450163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miki_and_company/pseuds/Miki_and_company
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer's one of the best way to wreck shit, when you think about it.<br/>It's got like all this hype about enjoying yourself and realizing shit and stuff.<br/>Except summer in a boring suburb like yours is more about riding on bikes and avoiding anything remotely productive.<br/>Stuck passive in between hoping it doesn't degenerate and hoping it does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. DAVE

BE DAVE

…  
…  
…  
You’re lying in bed and the sun is dancing swiftly on your sheets through your non-opaque curtains. Seconds ago, you were sound asleep, but now consciousness is winning over you slowly as you start to realise where you are and what time it is.  
It’s the first day of summer.  
You keep your eyes closed for a while and break the stunning silence of your house through a series of unrequited growls. You feel so comfortable here. And yet the light peering through your window is pestering your rest. Somewhere laying on your nightstand is a pair of sunglasses, but they are not very comfortable to wear in bed. Not that you’ve never fallen asleep wearing them.  
The grogginess wears off, but the sheets are still comfortable, so you stay in bed, eyes wide open and staring at your ceiling. You put on your shades. You wear them as if they were prescription glasses, even though they are no such thing. Your hand continues its exploration of the nightstand to be able to grasp your phone. It’s about 11:30. You put it back. It immediately dings. Several times. You take it back and take a look at who might be texting you.  
It’s your cousin. Err…ex-semi-cousin. Roxy. 

\--TG began pestering TG--

ROXY: hey dave  


ROXY: Daaaaaave  


ROXY: guess what  


DAVE: what  


ROXY: its summer!!!!!!!! Hell yeah!!!!  


DAVE: really? i didnt notice due to all that sunlight stabbing my slumber and the fact that nothing else has  


DAVE: especially things like alarm clocks and constant stress  


ROXY: oh did I wake u up or smt?  


ROXY: didn’t mean 2  


DAVE: nah youre cool  


DAVE: i was kind of bored anyway  


DAVE: what do you want  


ROXY: who told u I wanted smt? Well yeah actually I do want smt  


ROXY: aka not 2 be bored all summer  


ROXY: so i was thinkin  


ROXY: since were all gonna end up doin it anyways, then maybe we should meet up today  


ROXY: u and me and rose and dirk  


ROXY: watcha say?  


DAVE: youre awfully quick to business  


DAVE: like some Japanese bullet train that is so fucking on time its actually in advance  


DAVE: which isnt all that helpful since like its way to early anyway  


DAVE: and all those Japanese commuters just end up missing their train and have to call their bosses who are not happy and tell them they should have thought about it  


DAVE: so they come in early the next day, shifting the train schedule  


DAVE: which adjust and comes in even earlier  


DAVE: thus creating a vicious cycle of never ending lateness through earliness  


ROXY: yeah yeah, just come around park Jefferson at 2  


ROXY: and if u aint interested just forward the invitation to rose  


ROXY: actually, pls do that irregardless of your interest  


ROXY: and also dont tell her i said irregardless  


DAVE: i got you  


DAVE: dont worry ill be there  


DAVE: i mean  


DAVE: its not like ive got anything important to do or anything  


DAVE: wait  


DAVE: wheres that park again  


ROXY: oh shit  


ROXY: pricked my finger  


ROXY: on an eyebrow plucker of all things  


ROXY: lol  


ROXY: anyway its just behind the elementary school u dummy  


ROXY: i know it’s a little further from ur house…  


ROXY: but bikewise its still doable  


DAVE: ok thanks  


ROXY: ill talk to dirk ;)  


DAVE: of course you are  


ROXY: oh come on hes like the only eligible bachelor of our weirdo squad anyway  


DAVE: how quickly you dismiss me is baffling  


ROXY: oh come on  


ROXY: like  


ROXY: i know were technically not related, but 2 me it still feels borderline incestuous dude  


ROXY: not that I dont appreciate the implied comment that you would like to figure on my suitors list ;P  


DAVE: the fact that youre hot doesn’t mean im all over you roxy  


DAVE: you are my cousin too, you know  


ROXY: (sure)  


ROXY: (NOT!!)  


>ROXY: *wink wink*  


You notice Rose just connected. You decide now is as good as ever to pester her.

\--TG started pestering TT--  


DAVE: rose  


ROSE: Dave.  


DAVE: rose  


ROSE: Dave.  


DAVE: rose  


ROSE: Dave.  


DAVE: alright are you going to go on with this shenanigan or were you just curious to see how far i would take this thing  


ROSE: Both, given that the reasons you listed aren’t in any way mutually exclusive.  


ROSE: I don’t have anything less asinine to do with my time at this particular hour.  


DAVE: and what about at 2  


ROSE: what about it, indeed?  


DAVE: are you free  


ROSE: The exact extent of my freedom at any given moment is of course restricted by the means and properties of the physical world and societal conventions, but in the sense of not having to conduct any particular activity at that particular hour, then yes, I happen to be available  


ROSE: Until that is you presumably ask me to engage in such an activity.  


DAVE: yeah well your cousin want us all to meet at the park behind the elementary school  


ROSE: Roxy?  


DAVE: yes  


ROSE: And Dirk will be similarly present, I suppose?  


DAVE: if he agrees  


ROSE: I won’t miss it.  


ROSE: But I do wonder,  


ROSE: why she is so precipitous to have us all meet?  


ROSE: We do have two whole months in front of us placed there for this exact purpose.  


DAVE: i dont know rose  


DAVE: i dont read into it too much  


DAVE: its gonna be fun so who cares  


ROSE: You are right.  


ROSE: It surely doesn’t matter.  


DAVE: nope  


DAVE: i mean i guess it is a sweet way to start off the summer  


DAVE: sweeter than staying in bed all day and munching on instant ramen and aj so much you get sick of it right on the first day of presumably of a whole bunch of days  


DAVE: not that i would ever get sick of aj  


DAVE: but instant ramen or pizza yeah pretty much  


ROSE: Better to be bored together than alone.  


DAVE: EXACTLY  


DAVE: like  


DAVE: even the things you eat so much you become nauseous just thinking about it taste better than everything in the world if it conjures up some sweet memories of emptiness well spent with bros  


DAVE: which is the lesson that was so obviously shared but the cult classic star wars i think  


ROSE: I think you may be thinking of something else. But I do get your point.  


ROSE: Do you own a bicycle, Dave?  


DAVE: yeah sure  


DAVE: like its an old thing but its functional enough  


DAVE: maybe i should pimp it up or something  


DAVE: paint it with flames  


DAVE: and memes  


ROSE: I don’t think that would in any way improve to its functionality.  


ROSE: Perhaps you should just keep it as it is.  


ROSE: instead of displaying in plain view your distaste for actual taste.  


ROSE: But I won’t make that decision for you.  


DAVE: alright  


DAVE: then see you later i guess  


ROSE: See you later, Dave.


	2. DAVE: BE ROXY

==>DAVE: BE ROXY  


You are Roxy.  
And you look on ON POINT in that outfit. Seriously, it’s your mirror which is telling you. Purple is your color. It is also Rose’s color, but in a slightly different shade. But never mind your cousin. Small black shorts, long, striped socks, white vans and a white tee with sweet designs, and a cool cap with the face of a cat on it. Perfect. Both functional and stylish. Not that something slightly less functional would have bothered you. You would fight spies in stilettos even if you didn’t have any Russian secrets to steal. But society has standards and apparently a meet up with good pals at the park isn’t warrant of a ball gown. Sigh. You can live with that. Sometimes a more casual style is a good thing.  
And you can’t wait to show your friends that new thing you found.  
You were doing some bike exploration a couple days ago, instead of studying because, in any way, you are gifted enough at school to avoid all that stress, and you used that shortcut through the tall grass near the railroad. And as you were trying to pass, you found a certain passage.  
Now, the tallgrass there is really tall. Taller than any of you. Between a wasteland and some sort of electrical terrain, tucked in between the neighborhoods, about four hundred feet from Jefferson Park, is where that shortcut exists. It allows to navigate through the neighborhoods without having to pass the crowded boulevard, and is pretty used by a restricted crowd. But a certainly less known area (one that, at least, your friends and you weren’t aware of) is a hidden embranchment of that shortcut leading to a quiet and whimsical alley under the trees, running parallel to the railroad, separated from it by a wooden fence. It seems to run for a long time, you presume until the boulevard, but you didn’t go all the way. You wanted to explore it with your friends. It could become your secret hangout.  
The place, while it was logical that it existed, still had a certain…liminal feel to it.  
You decide to hurry things up and pester Dirk.

\--TG started pestering TT--

ROXY: Hey dick  


DIRK: I presume you mean that in a flattering way  


ROXY: of course ;P  


DIRK: Then I may take the compliment, whatever it further entails  


DIRK: Which I may not, however, take along.  


ROXY: idc  


ROXY: what im proposing here is a date  


ROXY: u and me  


ROXY:…  


ROXY: and also rose and dave  


DIRK: Neither of us in a specific arrangement of romantic pairings, I sure hope  


ROXY: well, unless u ask to…  


DIRK: I’ll pass.  


DIRK: But I will meet up with the gang.  


DIRK: It has been a long time since last time we parted.  


ROXY: oh and please don’t bring ur sword  


ROXY: were gonna chill, not train :P  


DIRK: Weren’t you the one who wanted to know how to defend yourself from the scary 11th graders?  


ROXY: yeah well now I’M gonna be the 11th graders so…  


ROXY: okay like in a couple of months but whatever  


ROXY: and ur gonna be a 12th grader  


ROXY: so u can protect me :3  


DIRK: Sure.

DIRK: Well then, I guess it is set.  


DIRK: I’ll meet you all at 2.


	3. ROXY: BE DIRK

==>ROXY: BE DIRK  


The thin wheels of your sweet ride cringe against the asphalt as you decide to hit the brakes. Jefferson Park, man it’s been a while. The day is bright and warm, and, rare thing, no one would dare on this day to question your decision of wearing shades here and now, despite their relative unconventionality. You scan the area, as you do, to see whether any of your friends have arrived.  
Unsurprisingly, Roxy is already here, sat atop the playground’s slide, her simple but functional black bike resting askew on the grass. She waves at you, and you nod at her.  


ROXY: Gosh dirk, ive been waiting for like 20 minutes :P  


DIRK: I am precisely on time.  


ROXY: ik, I was just eager to meet u all  


DIRK: It’s a nice day out.  


ROXY: ikr!!! I NEED to show u this new thing I found that is just pretty cool and TOTALLY AWESOME  


ROXY: we just have 2 wait 4 dave and rose 2 show up  


DIRK: I am intrigued.  


ROXY: damn right u are  


ROXY: honestly im surprised none of us knew about this  


ROXY: cause like its obvious we would have told each other or something  


ROXY: but ive got adventurin cred  


ROXY: cause I found it and its EPIC  


ROXY: even if someone else obviously went there before  


DIRK: So it concerns a place.  


DIRK: Which I’ve presumably never seen before. And yet is right under our noses.  


ROXY: exactly  


ROXY: dude u know what?  


DIRK: What?  


ROXY: this is gonna be the BEST summer of our lives, k?  


ROXY: because were all good friends together and we have nowhere to go, no homework to do, no parents to nag us and basically the town is all ours cause everyone’s gone to rapture or some summer destination  


ROXY: weve got our bikes, our freedom and each other and that’s what important  


ROXY: also if we ever get bored I think my mom wont notice if I sneak some booze  


ROXY: that would be just  


ROXY: fine as HECK  


DIRK: You are drinking now?  


ROXY: well nah not really I mean SOMETIMES when im bored but with friend its more fun, nah?  


DIRK: I personally do not find myself much interested in it, but I trust your judgement.  


ROXY: that is  


ROXY: SUCH a nice thing to say, dirk  


ROXY: help I think im fallin 4 u

And she proceeds to support her claim by letting herself slide down the module. At that moment, two other familiar faces appears in your line of sight. Dave and Rose, biking side by side. Roxy turns her head to follow your gaze and sees them too. They approach a sufficient distance, before dropping their bikes and joining the two of you.  


ROSE: Hello.  


DAVE: hey  


ROXY: sup  


DIRK: Hi.  


Casual embraces.  


ROSE: Nice to see you.  


DIRK: the feeling is reciprocated.  


ROXY: homies!!!!  


ROXY: ok now that u are all there  


ROXY: its time for the big reveal.  


ROXY: hop on ur bikes an follow me

She proceeds to do exactly as she said.  


ROSE: Already? You could have mentioned this was to be but a temporary meeting place.  


ROXY: oh come on just follow me ;)  


DAVE: alright

They followed her.


	4. DIRK: BE ROSE

==>DIRK:BE ROSE

You pedal your way elegantly behind your beloved cousin, taking the lead in front of both your brother and his cousin. You do not mind being related to your closest friends. After all, you doubt you would enjoy more the company of those who have had drastically different lives to yours. As interesting as it may sound. It is not as if many people dwelling in these suburbs could lead inherently interesting or drastically different lives. Was it not its purpose, of this sheltered and circumscribed environment to bland the lives of its individuals? It certainly felt so to you. But in a roundabout way, it made you enjoy it, if only mildly.  


You follow a path you know. A shortcut through the railway. In the direction of Roxy’s house. But she turned through the tallgrass, in a spot you didn’t expect her to take. Your curiosity thickens.  


At the exact spot she turned, you follow. For a few feet, you are stopped by the vegetation, but soon enough you find yourself on a narrow path. You advance still some more, perhaps a forty-fifty feet of serpentine navigation later, the path widens and reveals linearity. Further than your eyes can see, between the railway and the terminal parking, but both hidden, one by a wooden fence, the other by a row of trees and tallgrass. The sun shines through the leaf roof and light dances on the grass and dirt, it also dances on your smiling best friend’s face. For an instant, you put aside your fascination with the night and the darkness to enjoy this pure moment of discovery.  


Behind you pulls over the rest of your group. They bear similar expressions, if more tamed than their female counterpart, in the name of their perpetual coolness status, a thing which does not fool you, but which they keep up anyway.  


Roxy, satisfied, puts aside her bike on the fence, and, the place being safe enough, she starts almost skipping along the path, encouraging the others to do as well.  
Four parked bikes and a few hundred feet of running and laughing later, they finally come to a halt, on a spot that bears a great potential of intimacy. There, simply, a worn out outdoor couch, and a lounge chair. Roxy sits first.  


Everyone laughs and breathes off the moment of naïve fun shared moments ago. They keep an observing silence for a few moments before finally breaking it.  


ROSE: I am pleasantly surprised. This place is very enjoyable. Intimate, yet open and liberating.  


ROXY: Told u youd like it  


ROXY: I want this 2 be our secret base this summer  


ROXY: I found this place last week  


ROXY: perfect fucking timing  


ROXY: idk how I missed it sooner  


ROXY: I mean ive lived here my whole life  


ROXY: and only now do I discover this frickin haven  


ROXY: maybe it wasn’t here before and it’s a magical place like Narnia or somethin  


ROSE: The liminality of the place does strike me as well. Perhaps there is another world on the other side. We should investigate. Or, if we are afraid of only finding the boulevard and crushing our dreams.  


ROSE: We can stay here and live off the wonder of this place.  


DIRK: Sometimes it’s best not to know.  


DAVE: im fine either way  


DAVE: i mean i like the idea of having a secret magical meeting place  


DAVE: maybe its gonna give us superpowers  


DAVE: and were gonna fight evil as a super team power ranger style  


DAVE: and i of course will be the sweet relatable yet aloof coolest character in the whole show  


DIRK: Don’t be delusional, Dave.  


DAVE: of course you will be the most aloof dirk  


DAVE: but the point is we are going to form a super team and be all fucking awesome and shit  


DIRK: You make a good point  


DIRK: Perhaps our true power will be the friendship we made along the way  


DAVE: Exactly  


DAVE: and out pure motivation and determination will be our powerup  


DAVE: when all hope seems lost  


DAVE: always trust the magical forest and the magical friends  


DAVE: especially the talking animals who never want you any harm whatsoever  


DAVE: especially the snakes  


DAVE: damn the snakes  


DAVE: aren’t they ALWAYS helpful  


DAVE: in mythology and stuff  


DAVE: when a snakes offers you an apple  


DAVE: you make apple juice cause that shit be the sweetest nectar of all  


ROSE: The thing I like the most about you Dave, is the constant use of mixed metaphors and idioms that you scatter across your speech in a way that would make it perfectly impossible for anyone who doesn’t share your cultural background to understand.  


ROSE: Take for example the assumption that this path leads indeed to a magical world surrounded in whimsy and fables long lost to us.  


ROSE: You would have no way of being understood by any of the poor creatures trying to seek your godly human help, or guide you.  


ROSE: The true riddles that will be spoken will come, not from them, but from you.  


ROSE: You are the mystical creature, Dave.  


DAVE: thanks for the flattery but im not interested rose  


ROSE: It was only half-flattery. Do not take away from it any incestuous desire to copulate or otherwise.  


ROSE: however I will be noting the way you assumed I was making advances to you.  


ROSE: and link them to the conscious and subconscious perception of family and desires, analysed by many social scientists and pseudo-scientists alike.  


ROSE: Of course I mean Freud, but also Levi-Strauss. Are you familiar with Levi-Strauss?  


DAVE: no and honestly i dont have much of a problem keeping it that way  


ROXY: rose  


ROXY: u kno wat  


ROXY: I think its from u  


ROXY: this habit I took of noticing daves badly hidden incest-lust  


ROXY: just today I was tellin him p much the same thing u just said there  


ROXY: isn’t that interesting  


ROSE: Interesting, indeed.  


You and Roxy both exchange a playful glance and then place it on Dave who starts to be uncomfortable.  


DAVE: stop looking at me that way  


DAVE: seriously what is your problem  


DAVE: like okay I may say some things but seriously I never even said anything that compromising for real  


DAVE: but you two are the ones who came up with that and then imposed it on me like some deadly trap in which I cant say anything about any of you ever, as a pleasantry of otherwise, without making some giant-ass invisible Freudian slip and you bashing me on it  


DAVE: maybe you two are the one with the incest fetish and just like the idea that myself, who isn’t even blood related, have some sort of perpetual repressed feelings of lust lurking over you  


DAVE: maybe you like the idea  


DAVE: and are the ones who want to get dirty with me  


DAVE: in which case I reiterate my first statement which is thanks but no  


DAVE: well keep any Freudian assumptions that I have the hots for you two in the closet forever, thank you very much  


DAVE: for fucks sake  


ROSE: We are teasing you Dave.  


ROSE: Even if I must admit that act in itself is a desperate cry to bring up the subject of sexuality.  


ROSE: Which we don’t, I believe, imply in a particularly incestuous way, but simply the fact that we are a closed casket of individuals, the majority of which we are related to, makes it implicitly incestuous.  


ROSE: but being the reasonable individuals we are, I figure we can keep it behind the bars of the taboo it is without questioning it.  


ROSE: Maybe then we should address the subject of our sexualities outside of that context.  


ROSE: Maybe through an old-fashioned game of truth or truth.  


ROSE: the ultimate pretext to expose personal information, especially sexual, to a group of friends.  


ROXY: goddammit I knew I should have brought booze already  


DAVE: im not playing that  


DIRK: I, too, oppose this.  


ROSE: then, what, exactly, are we supposed to discuss?  


ROSE: I will not pretend like this subject is not running at all times in the back of our minds, and will not resurface in our conversations at some point or another.  


ROSE: We can start slow and decent.  


DAVE:…  


DAVE: alright but I reserve the right to object to a question at any given time  


ROSE: It is important to make the monster appear every once in a while, Dave.  


ROSE: Otherwise it simply gets frustrated.  


ROSE: But I will start simple.  


ROSE: and not with you.  


ROSE: Roxy.  


ROSE: If there was one place you could travel to this summer, what would it be?  


ROXY: hmmm….good question, rose  


ROXY: I am torn between Europe and some place with beaches and free drinks  


ROXY: if there is any place I wanna be, its in paris atop the Eiffel tower on a mad romantic date with some dude  


ROXY: but I also wouldn’t mind napping around while in a bikini a mojito in my hand  


ROXY: if that answers ur question  


ROSE: It’s an excellent answer. Mundane enough not to feel out of place, personal enough to slowly melt the ice.  


ROXY: ok my turn I guess  


ROXY: Dirk  


ROXY: is there any cute girl in ur grade?  


ROXY: and I mean that regardless of ur intent of mackin on her  


ROXY: I just wanna know  


DIRK: I don’t look much at them.  


DIRK: But some can be regarded as attractive.  


DIRK: Even if no particular name strikes me at this present moment  


ROXY: …  


ROXY: alright lame but fine enough I guess  


ROXY: u can ask dave a question  


DIRK: Alright.  


DIRK: Dave.  


DIRK: here goes  


DIRK: Where did you find your shades?  


DIRK: You used to have some like mine.  


DAVE: ive got them from the internet  


DAVE: figured it was time to get a style of my own  


DAVE: actually its a friend who gave them to me  


DAVE: but he lives several states away  


DAVE: and to be honest i havent talked to him in a crazy long time  


DIRK: cool.  


DAVE: yeah cool  


DAVE: alright I suppose its time for me to ask a question to rose  


DAVE: Do you like apple juice?  


ROSE: Dave, that is a pitiful question and you know it.  


DAVE: sorry gee i mean warmup round is valid both for the person answering than the person asking  


DAVE: okay whatevs  


DAVE: …  


DAVE: what is the most pretentious thing you have ever done  


ROSE: hahaha  


ROSE: this one is spot on, Dave.  


ROSE: It’s a tough trial…but I think it might be having written this romanticized essay about the whereabouts of Jaspers throughout the day.  


ROSE: I was bored, and young, and yearning for something to write about.  


ROSE: and the text is full of cheesy imagery and not-so-subtle cynical commentary on human behaviour.  


DAVE: wow i did not expect your answer to be so fucking appropriate  


DAVE: that is legitimately pretentious  


DAVE: its almost cute  


ROSE: thank you.  


ROSE: I believe this concludes our warm up round. Now we may proceed to the more influential questions.  


ROSE: Roxy, would you describe yourself as more of a top or a bottom?  


ROXY: wow, kinky :P um…u know, it always depends. I’m both, gurl, I don’t believe in permatopping and permabottoming, yknow. U need to be fluid. Also depends on the person. But if I had to state a preference…uh…top? Idk, it just feels more…fun? Keepin those fantasies in check.  


DAVE: this is getting out of hand  


DAVE: derailing fast  


DAVE: like if our conversation was a train on this railway  


DAVE: wed already be dead  


ROSE: this needs to be addressed, Dave. It’s good for our morale.  


DAVE: im not buying it  


ROXY: ALRIGHT  


ROXY: DIRK  


ROXY: Do you ever jack it to someone in particular? Celebrity or otherwise?  


DIRK: no  


ROXY: whaaat?  


ROXY: I don’t fucking believe you  


ROXY: I mean come on  


ROXY: you can at least namedrop SOMEONE.  


ROXY: a celebrity…something.  


DIRK: I am not comfortable discussing this.  


ROXY: aww  


ROXY: fuckit  


ROXY: I answered my question!  


DIRK: Yours was of lesser ordeal.  


ROXY: :/ not rlly…  


DIRK: ask me something else.  


ROXY: okayyy  


ROXY: if you had to go for a dude, who would it be?  


DIRK: Oscar Isaac.  


DIRK: or Taylor Lautner  


ROXY: really dirk I don’t get it this question isn’t especially different than the last one but okay whatevs  


ROXY: personally if I had to go 4 a girl I would go for scarlett johanson  


ROXY: cause DAMN  


ROSE: I’d lean towards Naomi Campbell  


ROSE: or Emma Watson.  


ROSE: but I would not deny Scarlett Johanson.  


You look at Dave and so does Roxy and Dirk.  


DAVE: what? The question wasnt asked to me last time I checked  


ROSE: but everyone answered it, Dave.  


DAVE: dont care  


DAVE: dirk  


DAVE: save me  


DIRK: Alright, Dave. If you had to go for a guy, who would you go for?  


DAVE: dammit  


DAVE: you are all the worse  


DAVE: I’m out of here


	5. ROSE: BE DAVE

==>ROSE:BE DAVE

You get up and walk away. You can hear the protestations of your friends.  


ROXY: oh come dave were sorry!!  


ROSE: It was but playful teasing.  


ROXY: we might have been a bit rude…  


ROSE: You can be so uptight sometimes…  


DAVE: maybe you should just check your shit on boundaries next time  


DAVE: looks like the sun is going down anyway  


DAVE: we should get home  


DAVE: come back later  


DAVE: im tired  


ROSE: we’re sorry, Dave.  


DAVE: fine apology accepted or whatever  


DAVE: I just don’t like those games like  


DAVE: cant we just have normal conversations or whatever  


DAVE: in which private shit is kept private unless the person having the quiet shit in question decides to share its stinks or whatever  


DAVE: that might be more appropriate  


DAVE: im leaving anyway  


DAVE: bye  


DAVE: see you some other time  


ROXY: bye…:(  


ROXY: tomorrow, any time, same place i guess

You reach your bike and take off to your destination. You feel somewhat bad for storming off, you guess, but though you love your friend, they can get on your nerves sometimes. You regret the time when you could always just play it cool. Maybe it’s the stress. Maybe tomorrow it’ll all be gone. Nah. You’re already cool. The wind is in your face and you stand on your bike, letting inertia carry you through the street on the imaginary soundtrack of a cheesy teen movie. It calms you. The sun is still up, but given the time of the year, it’s probably already time for dinner. If your parents are there. You doubt they would mind. You just needed the breeze on your face.  


You can hear notifications popping on your phone. You wait to be home to check them.  


DIRK: Look I’m sorry too, what I said wasn’t cool Bro.  


DIRK: I’d understand if you’d be mad at me.  


DIRK: I’m not entirely comfortable with these questions either  


DIRK: especially that one  


DIRK: I don’t know why I answered it, much less why I asked it to you.  


DIRK: just  


DIRK: Get back to me.  


You decide not to answer.


	6. DAVE: BE ROSE

==>DAVE:BE ROSE

It’s the beginning of the afternoon and you walk quietly along the pathway of your kingdom. Already sat on the couch, reading a book, is Roxy. Next to her, three cardboard boxes containing, respectively, cans of orange soda, beer and apple juice lay. In her hand she has opened a can of beer and is sipping it thoughtfully. She sees you and rests her book on her lap.  


ROXY: heyy  


ROXY: I was starting to think no one would come  


ROXY: I guess its fine, but I brought some sweet loot so that would have gone to waste  


She reaches inside the box containing beer and throws a lukewarm can in your direction. You catch it.  


ROXY: here u go!  


ROXY: its not the best but it’s the only thing my mom allows me to take openly  


ROXY: I kno u don’t mind alcohol unlike ur bro  


ROSE: Thanks, I appreciate the gesture.  


ROXY: one day ill sneak some real booze  


ROXY: like vodka or smt  


ROXY: but 4 now that’s what we got  


ROSE: May I enquire about your reading?  


ROXY: yeah sure its this book its rlly good  


ROXY: abt wizerds  


ROSE: I am intrigued.  


ROXY: so its like this dude and he lives in this world  


ROXY: and there sum old wizerds dude take apprentices to become the future old wizard dude  


ROXY: and he is chosen and stuff  


ROXY: but there are age old feuds btw sum of the wizerds  


ROXY: and his sis is taken under the wign of sum rival wizard  


ROXY: so they try and tem up to try and mellow the old wizerds  


ROXY: all the while their own clan is torn apart due to magical inheristance and shit  


ROXY: its all political and psychological and shit  


ROXY: youd like it  


ROSE: Perhaps you can lend it to me when you are done.  


ROXY: yeah sure  


ROXY: its so cool  


ROXY: oh hey look whos there  


You turn around to see Dirk walking towards you. He is carrying a sword.  


ROXY: oh man dirk did u bring a sord again  


DIRK: I hope you don’t mind.  


DIRK: Don’t worry, it is for my personal usage.  


DIRK: I intend to train a little here.  


ROXY: ok but u have to take off ur shirt  


ROXY: also what is it ur practicing again? Liek kung fu and fencing and samurai and shit  


DIRK: a composite discipline which isn’t completely unrelated to the items listed, yes.  


ROXY: oh alirte  


ROXY: whatever  


ROXY: want some soda?  


DIRK: it would be a pleasure.  


Dirk reaches inside the orange box in the middle and opens a can of his favourite soda.  
He sits on the arm of the outdoor couch.  


DIRK: It sure is a nice day.  


ROXY: yeah ik I looked at the weather reports its only gonna get hotter from here  


ROXY: all wek nothing but sun  


DIRK: Yes.  


ROXY: yep  


ROSE: indeed.  


The three of you shelters in an uncomfortable silence. Roxy goes back to her book and you rest you head on the light jacket you brought. Dirk finishes his drink and starts fencing in the background. You think, and try to enjoy the moment. A small wind makes the leaves move around and the light and shadow dance on your face.  


Maybe an hour passes.  


Dave finally shows up.  


You all greet him casually, and he joins your group passivity.  


By the end of the afternoon, half of the three boxes were empty. The heat had become overwhelming, and all of you blesses the partial shadow you could benefit from. Dirk had stopped his sparring, and a fine lining of sweat covers all of your faces.  


ROXY: hey  


ROXY: im just htroin the idea out theer  


ROXY: but wat if we all go and dien togteter 2nite?!  


ROSE: Are you shaying that we shoud bai fast food from the boulevard?  


ROXY: yeah xactly  


ROSE: I strongly agree with thich  


DIRK: me too, if the two of you can sober up at least a bit in a short period of time.  


ROXY: wel we coud go in liek tirty mintues or smt  


DAVE: its cool  


ROXY: ok then ist set!!  


ROSE: guys  


ROSE: have I told you  


ROSE: how much this means to me?  


You start to tear up. You hadn’t notice how much the world started to spin around your sixth or seventh can of beer. You are suddenly very hungry. And also you need to pee.  


ROSE: this place is…sho NICE.  


You sob heavily. The others look at you uncomfortably. Roxy reaches your side and hugs you sincerely.  


ROXY: shhh…shhh…I kno…  


You cry for maybe ten minutes before you can finally get yourself to stop. And now you REALLY need to pee.  


ROSE: I need a toilet…  


ROXY: go in the bsushes  


It’s unlike you, but you decide to do it anyway. You stubble about a hundred feet further than your current position, and empty your bladder. You feel a little bit less drunk. Roxy quickly follows your example, and so does both your brother and Dirk. All of your bladders were a bit over their capacity.  


You use this as a sign it’s time to go. You get out of your den and reach the street out in the sun, which hasn’t set yet. Even if it lays low on the horizon, it still shines bright and blinds you. The asphalt is burning hot and you can feel the bottom of your shoes sticking to it. The work day is over, and for once many people are out on the streets, or on their porch, fanning themselves with homemade fans and walking their panting dogs. A few streets of condos and 70’s style houses later, you find yourselves on the boulevard.  


You heard once that this boulevard had earned a prize for being one of the ugliest in the world, so much so that if people ever bothered to come to your town, they would unmistakably take the time to visit it. You can’t disagree. But it didn’t have the features a tourist area. It was a suburban zone, maybe a car distance of twenty minutes from the real city. It featured gas stations, fast foods and middle-zone restaurants, like olive garden. It had a Dunkin donuts, a dollar store, a dairy queen, a mini putt, a convenience store and at the end of the street, a library. Other services of less relevance to you personally, like automobile dealers and furniture shops were also present. Cars were flashing by on the three-way, pothole filled road. It was smelling like gasoline, trash and deep-frying. Two streets later, the abandoned for the summer, the high school. And the (less abandoned) public outdoor pool.  


You walk besides your bike, along with your friends. You have no idea what time it is. You all reach the home brand fast-food stand and order something on the go. When the greasy food is handed to you, you sit at one of the worn out picnic tables and feast on the soundtrack of a 70 miles per hour busy street, and in the background, the freeway.  
It feels good. And you needed a corndog.  


When you’re done, you decide to get an ice cream at the dairy queen. You all order a small soft cone from the busy worker behind the open window of a glass wall on which is plastered yellowed posters of the menu. Fulfilled, you walk together on the sidewalk, your bike in one hand, your ice cream in the other.  


You have a slight headache and you aren’t completely sober yet, but you feel good.


	7. ROSE: BE ROXY

==>ROSE:BE ROXY

A third day, it becomes routine. This time is a Friday, and the heat isn’t going down. Even early in the morning, the heat is overwhelming and you decide to meet at the pool. It’s filled with summer camp children, but it refreshes you nonetheless. Afterwards, you meet at your usual spot. The leftover cans from the day before are now completely warm and don’t help you cool down at all. Around midday, you have enough and straight up decide to take your top off.  


DAVE: wo roxy what on earth are you doing  


ROXY: its hot dayve  


ROXY: also, I’M hot so rince ur eeys :P  


ROXY: and pass meh anotter bear  


ROXY: pretty plis  


DAVE: I think you had enough roxy  


ROXY: goddammitt goota do evrythin on my onw ist incredilbe  


ROXY: incerdible*  


ROXY: incredible*  


You reach over Dave to pick another can of beer. How many did you have? You have no idea. You also throw seductively your shirt at Dirk who doesn’t even bother to pick it up from his face.  


ROSE: you kno wat Roxchy its not a bad idea  


She also removes her shirt. Your laced bras almost match.  


ROXY: omg tiwnz!!!  


ROSE: yea!!!  


DAVE: you know what I think im gonna go  


ROXY: oh come on dyave don’t be purde!!  


DAVE: who said this had anything whatsoever to do with your shirtlessness?  


DAVE: i just need to go for a while  


DAVE: Breathe somewhere else you know  


DAVE: get some space  


DAVE: change my mind  


DAVE: from this fucking terrible heat  


DAVE: seriously did mother nature break her ac or something  


ROSE: I’m coming with you Dayyve  


ROSE: wait a minute…  


They proceed to stand and walk away calmly on the small path. Rose is clutching herself on her brother. A few minutes later they are out of your sight. The sun is too bright, and you think you might be feverish. Something within you is really not right. You put your arm over your eyes, wipe your face a block the sun.  


ROXY: dirk…  


ROXY: im afriad  


ROXY: afroad*  


ROXY: a fraud*  


ROXY: correct*  


ROXY: that ill nevr find anyone dirk  


ROXY: growin up…  


ROXY: its hard  


ROXY: and no one understands  


Dirk is besides you, and his presence has you flustered, despite, or maybe because, your high level of intoxication. You breathe heavily.  


DIRK: I think most people understand.  


DIRK: simply it cannot be put into words.  


DIRK: not easily at least.  


ROXY: ive been such a bicht dirk…  


ROXY: and uv awlyas been so nice…  


Your heavy head takes refuge in his arms. For once he does not protest. He taps your shoulder amiably. He is sweaty and sticky. But so are you. Your headache won’t go. You feel like you’re dying, but also like you need to. You feel his heartbeat and it propagates through your body. The pounding marks the beats of your life. You lift your head a few inches and press your lips against his. All at once, his body stiffens and he pushes you backwards. Tipsy, you fall easily of the chair, shocked, hurt and baffled.  


DIRK: Roxy!...I’m sorry…I did not mean to…  


You can’t hear him because suddenly you are very cold and your heart is coming up through your oesophagus. On all fours, you throw up on the ground. You cry as you head is exploding. You suddenly feel very dry. You throw up some more. You barely feel Dirk’s frozen, or burning you are not sure, hands picking you up from the ground. You barely hear what he is saying.  


DIRK: Roxy. Roxy. Are you okay? Your skin is burning. It was cold a minute ago…  


He is carrying you. You’re not sure where. All you can feel is the soft back and forth movement of his walking, and his arms…  


You pass out.


	8. ROXY: BE DIRK

==> ROXY:BE DIRK

OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD OH GO OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD  


You decide to calm down. You have a friend in need. And you need to get her home FAST.  


Luckily your house is the closest to here. In the killer heat, you carry her with all the strength you have. Thank god you’re strong. And she is so light. Her skin is hot and dry and it is NOT a Good Sign.  
You probably should call an ambulance but you know her family can’t afford that.  


You arrive home and place her in the living room where an air conditioning unit is roaring. You set it to the maximum.  


You put her on the couch, and you get to the kitchen to get a washcloth and some ice packs. You damp the washcloth and wring it out on her. Her eyes move a little and she shakes her head slightly. But she doesn’t wake up. You place the ice pack around her neck, near her armpit and crotch, and you repeat your operation with the washcloth. Three times. Each time she seems a little nearer to consciousness. You place the cold water washcloth on her forehead. You check her vitals. They seem alright.  


You get a glass of water and you sit next to her, your head in your hands, your elbows on your knees.  


You wait.  


Her short breath soon enough get a little better. A little.  


She bats her eyes and finally manages to keep them open. She looks around and you address her.  


DIRK: Roxy…  


ROXY: i…  


She tries to get up, but you put her down.  


DIRK: You got heatstroke. With all that alcohol you ingested, in this heat…  


You allow her to get her head up and you give her little sips of water. She seems to get better.  


Suddenly she seems to remember and she mortifies.  


ROXY: ohmygoddirkimsorryishouldnthavei…  


She breathes extremely fast.  


DIRK: Calm down! Breathe. Calmly. Here you go.  


She breathes with application. She is not yet right, but she is getting a little better. She needs more than this. Now that she is conscious…  


DIRK: You need to take a cold shower. Calmly…just…here let me help you…  


You help her get up and lead her to your bathroom. You sit her in the bath and turn on the shower, on the cold setting. She is still fully dressed. Well, half-dressed…  


She lets the water pour on her face. It seems like its calming her. You don’t close the curtain and you stay on the side. The silence pertains. Until.  


ROXY: You don’t like me.  


ROXY: and it was pretty obvious from the start.  


ROXY: I should never have…  


ROXY: I am an idiot  


She isn’t looking at you she has her eyes closed and her face turned towards the jet of the shower.  


DIRK: It has nothing to do with you. Roxy, I like you. Just…not in that way.  


DIRK: and there is a specific reason to that.  


DIRK: …  


ROXY: …  


DIRK: I’m gay, Roxy.  


ROXY: that makes sense  


ROXY: Actually I think I knew this  


ROXY: I just didn’t wanna believe it  


DIRK: Please don’t tell the others.  


ROXY: …  


DIRK: Roxy?  


ROXY: mmhm?  


She had her lipped seal tight and her face was expressionless. Yet you could figure there were tears mixing with the water streams dripping on her face. Her nipples peered through her wet bra but that wasn’t what would make you go wild. You examined her carefully. She was very good looking. She was someone who did what she wanted to do. You thought that if…  


You buried your face in your hand.


	9. DIRK: BE DAVE

==>DIRK:BE DAVE

DAVE: oh now come on rose were almost there  


She was clutching to your shoulder harder than at first. The light was burning your skin. But she felt cold and moist next to you. Only a few streets and you would be at Dirk’s place. You seriously hoped that’s where he and Roxy went. You also seriously hope you don’t walk on anything funky with Rose groggy and drowsy by your side. You reached the front steps of Dirk’s house and open the door, which was, luckily, unlocked. The loud noise of the air conditioning unit hits you, along with the wall of cool air coming from inside. Rose lets a slight sigh of relief. She walks a few steps inside before suddenly running to the bathroom.  


You follow her to find her leaning over the toilet seat, emptying her stomach, while Roxy was getting baptised or something by the full-running shower, pouring water everywhere over the bathroom floor which happened have a face palming Dirk curled on it.  


You should have guessed when you saw their bikes left in the tallgrass.  


DAVE: wow  


DAVE: by which I mean im not really impressed by any of you  


DAVE: except for how fucking dumb you all are  


DAVE: are you all okay?  


ROXY: mhmm  


DIRK: ...  


ROSE: buearhgh  


DAVE: im going to go now  


You get to the couch where you sit. You are so tired. You feel like you should just…nap.


	10. DAVE: BE ROXY

==>DAVE:BE ROXY

It’s passed midnight and you’re in rose’s bed. She is laying her head on the pillow, but you know she is not asleep. The curtains and the window are open and the wind is howling. Today was the last day of intense heat. How could you have slept in the previous week, you do not know. You can’t sleep now. You have a bottle of vodka next to your feet. You are not proud. The sky is clouded and in the distance you can hear thunder. But it’s not raining yet. You’re filled with feelings. It’s stifling. You put your hand on Rose’s shoulder.  


ROXY: Rose.  


ROXY: we ned to go  


ROSE: where?  


ROXY: anywhere we shluod get dayve 2  


ROXY: I ned 2…  


ROXY: GO  


ROSE: okey  


You get up and Rose follows you. You didn’t talk to Dirk since two days ago. You don’t have the guts. All you have the guts to do is drink. Beer is nauseating to you now, you’ve turned to vodka. Rose’s mother has a cabinet full of it. Carefully, not to wake Rose’s parents, you get to the entrance, put on your raincoat and boots and get out to find your bike.  


You pedal as well as you can do drunk. For once your mind is clear, the alcohol only seems to affect you physically. The stifling air matches your stifling feelings. You and Rose reaches Dave’s apartment. He lives on the lowest floor, thus your ability to go up to his window and knock.  


You need to knock a lot to wake him up, but he eventually does.  


DAVE: roxy?rose? what on earth are you two doing here at this hour  


ROXY: weve come for a mindight ried u fool  


ROXY: come  


DAVE: roxy are you drunk?  


ROXY: hey u fucwkit mabye i cant fucken hepl myshelf  


ROXY: ist a butiful evnite, dontchu tink?  


DAVE: alright im coming  


DAVE: but its just to keep an eye on you two  


He put on a few clothes and jumps out his window.  


He followed you. You all go to Jefferson Park. You just don’t feel like going up the passage anymore. You go on the playground. You sit in one of the swings. It creaks while you swing, and the silence of everything else makes it so you can hear your own heartbeat.  


DAVE: is there something wrong, rox?  


ROXY: no…i…  


Distant thunder.  


You bury your face in your arm.  


ROXY: hwo do I say tihs…  


ROXY: im drukn wich doestn give much credit but…  


Lightning flash.  


ROXY: I ned 2 teel u..  


ROXY: rose and dayve…  


ROXY: and drik..  


Thunder.  


ROXY: but I cant say it in front of hmi  


Lightning.  


ROXY: i….  


ROXY: I fucked up.  


The sky opens and with a thunder sound heavy rain pours all at once on you and your friends. You look up determinedly.  


ROXY: I kissed Dirk 2 dyas ago befre I passed out.  


Rain pours on you and wets your face. You start to sob.  


ROXY: and I…snif…I shouldn’t have.  


ROXY: I aemu terrbliper swahhhhhhHHAhhhurHfsNNb  


Your sentence gets lost in your laments. Both your friends come forth to comfort you. And they look up at the sky. Thunder can be heard, very loudly, this time.  
They get you up the swing and you all take refuge under the sheltered bench of the baseball field next to the playground. The three of you, wet as can be, huddle together on the bench. You watch the field drown.  


The continuous raindrop and the frequent thunder and lightning fills the silence.  


ROXY: Dirk…he doesn’t want me to told u…  


ROXY: but hes gay  


ROXY: I don’t think that should be a problem 4 u…  


DAVE: are you sober now roxy?  


ROXY: maybe…  


Your voice is but a whisper.  


DAVE: …  


DAVE: i have something to say  


DAVE: …  


DAVE: im not straight either  


DAVE: i mean i definitively am attracted to girls  


DAVE: but im also attracted to dudes sometimes  


DAVE: but its rare  


DAVE: like im not sure it really is enough to make me gay  


DAVE: but like if Dirk can…  


DAVE: i dont know  


ROSE: I am not surprised by any of these declarations.  


ROSE: But since everyone is coming forth, I might as well admit it myself.  


ROSE: I have a thing for girls.  


ROXY: hahahaha  


ROXY: hahHaahaha  


ROXY: its everyone then  


ROXY: now I think I get why everyone was so cagey and shit  


ROXY: but its just life  


ROXY: like there are people were gonna be attracted to or maybe not…  


ROXY: theres is nothing we can do about those feelings  


ROXY: and I was the terrible monster making it such a fucking federal issue  


ROXY: like striders and lalondes shoudnt have 2 come out 2 striders and Lalonde  


ROXY: we shoud just KNOW  


ROXY: and accept whatever  


DAVE: haha  


ROSE: hehe  


You cry. And so does your friends. Meanwhile, the rains starts to clear out. The insufferable heat is now gone. You even shiver a bit in your wet clothes. But your friends are here and they keep you warm.


	11. Chapter 11




End file.
